Discussion

Chinese Hot Mustard & Chili Oil

I read people talking about getting chinese hot mustard and hot chili oil with their chinese restaurant meals, but I've never been offered them or even seen them. What do I order to get these? Or is it just in larger cities? Thanks!

The hot mustard usually would come with an eggroll, in my experience. I go to an Asian buffet, and it's next to the soups, along with the chili oil, sweet and sour sauce, green onions/chives, and some crispy fried julienne of wonton wrapper.Ask for them if you'd like.Nope, don't live in a big city, out here in the wilds of Wyoming.

Same here up in Montucky, we've come a very long way from the slop-suey joints from when I moved here 25 years ago ( there are still a few left), there is a great small very well prepared buffet near my place just as you describe, they will even bring out sriracha or hoisin sauce etc., you just have to ask.

I especially like hot mustard mixed in with my pan-fried noodles (chow mein, chow fun etc). A little goes a long way. Also a nice condiment with char sui (BBQ red pork), and deep fried appetizers (shrimp, wonton, egg roll). As for the oil I use it when making a dipping sauce for dim sum dumplings (along with vinegar, and soy & sesame oil), and a drizzle in soups, or congee.

Things have changed. In the olden days, freshly confected hot mustard capable of melting asbestos would automatically be provided if you ordered egg rolls. Nowadays you're as apt as not to get a dumbed down facsimile that comes in a plastic packet. To my mind, this change signifies the deterioration of Chinese food in the US since the super buffets appeared and drove the mom-n-pops outta business.

PK...Japanese wasabi is completely different then Chinese mustard. I've not been able to find a dry powder but Dynasty is a jarred brand found in most markets on the ethnic aisle. Coleman's dry mustard is a fair substitute. In fact it's what I we used growing up in HI.

Good call on the Coleman's. I keep dry S&B oriental mustard in my cupboard since the flavor of Chinese mustard is so fleeting once it comes in contact with liquid, but prepared Coleman's is close in terms of sheer pungency.

The mustard in the plastic containers is usually worthless. Most of the time it just tastes like yellow water.

I probably got it at the Chinese supermarket where I buy my Asian groceries, but I am pretty sure I have seen this in the Asian aisle of Whole Foods or some other chain market. It's a fairly well-distributed Japanese brand which also produces the most widely available wasabi I've found in regular supermarkets.

Colemans is a good substitute, but I luckily found a 4 oz bag of Roland Chinese hot mustard powder that I hoard like gold, for special occasions. Check out your local "Oriental" market if you have one nearby. Same deal, add water til it's the consistancy you want. And yes, you HAVE to ask for it with your takeout, I know because my husband cannot eat an eggroll without it so I have learned the hard way to always have something on hand.

In the Boston area, hot mustard is on every table in a Chinese restaurant. When I order take out there is always as small tub of the mustard included no matter what I order. It's good on chicken wings.

A totally American concoction of course. Shrimp egg fu yung is what I need but where I live now they never put bean sprouts in the fu yung. Really spoils it for me. But better to keep the two separate. Dip a little brown fu gravy then a little mustard sauce. The real kind that is equivalent to Coleman's + water. Sriracha also helps the egg fu patties along